MLB News

Teammates inspired by Darvish's near-perfect night

By
T.R. SullivanMLB.com

HOUSTON -- Two of Yu Darvish's rotation mates said they were inspired after watching his terrific performance against the Astros on Tuesday. Matt Harrison watched the final inning from the top of the dugout and was visibly angry when Marwin Gonzalez broke up the perfect-game bid with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth.

"To experience something like that, it was unbelievable to watch," Harrison said. "He was on top of his game from the beginning. You almost wish it had been the first batter to get the hit. It's tough to lose a perfect game. He took it well, better than I thought he would. Anytime you see a teammate do something like that, you get inspired. It makes you want to be a better pitcher, be as good as that guy. That was a lot of fun to watch."

HOUSTON -- Two of Yu Darvish's rotation mates said they were inspired after watching his terrific performance against the Astros on Tuesday. Matt Harrison watched the final inning from the top of the dugout and was visibly angry when Marwin Gonzalez broke up the perfect-game bid with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth.

"To experience something like that, it was unbelievable to watch," Harrison said. "He was on top of his game from the beginning. You almost wish it had been the first batter to get the hit. It's tough to lose a perfect game. He took it well, better than I thought he would. Anytime you see a teammate do something like that, you get inspired. It makes you want to be a better pitcher, be as good as that guy. That was a lot of fun to watch."

This was the fourth time in Rangers history that a pitcher lost a no-hitter in the ninth. Charlie Hough lost one against the Angels in 1986, and Nolan Ryan lost two to the Blue Jays and Tigers in '89. All three of those ended with one out.

"One of the greatest games I've ever see," pitcher Derek Holland said. "To really see that motivates you. What Darvish did was unbelievable. I don't care who it is against, a perfect game is not something that easily happens."